Lighting fixture and fluorescent tube support therefor



y 5, 1955 A. E. ZINGONE 594 LIGHTING FIXTURE AND FLUORESCENT TUBE SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed July 11, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. An'rnouv E. Zmeoue BY 2% I fire/9415745 A. E. ZINGONE July 5, 1955 LIGHTING FIXTURE AND FLUORESCENT TUBE SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed July 11, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ANTHONY E. Zmeons Irma/(15rd Patented July 5, 1955 LIGETZNG FEXTURE FLUGREQENT TUBE SUPPGEET THEREFGR Anthony E. Zingone, New York, N. Y., assignor to Neo- Ray Products, Few York, N. 1., a corporation of New York Application duly 11, 1952, Serial No. 298,361

3 Claims. 24e s1.i1

This invention relates to a lighting fixture construction and in particular to one which is adapted for use as a ceiling fixture or as a pendant fixture.

Lighting fixtures of general construction include means for supporting a lamp socket which is usually secured to the housing or to a hanger to which the fixture is attached. In lighting fixtures employing small light bulbs, the weight of the supporting means therefor need be given little consideration. In lighting fixtures utilizing fluorescent tubes a support within the housing is required for the tubes as well as for the wiring to the tube sockets and one or more transformers. The present invention is directed to a lighting fixture of the type employing a plurality of fluorescent tubes in which the support therefor is relatively large and heavy and is diflicult to insert in and remove from the housing for replacing the tubes and for repairing or adjusting the wiring and other parts. For this purpose, the present invention provides a lighting fixture having a fluorescent tube support with improved means for supporting the same in position within the housing and for rendering the same readily removable therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lighting fixture of said character having links pivotally connected with the fluorescent tube support on opposite sides thereof, the links on one side having latching engagement with the tube support and being pivoted for swinging movement longitudinally thereof and the links on the other side being pivoted for swinging movement transversely of the support and having latch means for releasably connecting the links to the housing to permit of the release of the support from engagement with the links on one side so as to dispose the support in a depending relation from the links on the other side and to permit of the swinging thereof for disengagement of the links from the housing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made to the following specification and accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a transverse sectional view through a ceiling fixture constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken approximately on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on line 55' of Fig. 1.

The invention is illustrated in its application to a ceiling fixture which is secured in any desired manner in a ceiling opening 1% bordered by angle bars 11 and which fixture includes a housing 12 having opposite side Walls 13 and 14, a top wall 15, and end walls 20. The end walls are of reduced depth and are welded or otherwise afiixed to the top wall and the opposite side Walls 13 and 14.

The housing is provided with an open bottom 21 which is adapted to be closed by one or more removable glass or louvered panels (not shown).

Arranged within the housing 12 is a support 23 for a plurality of fluorescent tubes 24 which extend longitudinally thereof substantially the full width of the support and are removably afiixed at their ends in sockets 25 secured to the under side of the upper wall 26 thereof. The support also carries one or more transformers 27, two being shown in the present embodiment which are secured in position on the upper side of the upper wall 26, and connected with the transformers and with the sockets 25 is wiring (not shown) adapted to connect the tubes 24 in circuit with a source of current supply. As illustrated, the support carries four fluorescent tubes and two transformers which render the support heavy and cumbersome to emplace within the housing or to remove therefrom for cleaning or repairing or replacing parts thereof. For this purpose means is provided for suspending the support from links which permits of the release of the support along one longitudinal side so that the same may be swung into depending position whereby access may be gained thereto for replacing the tubes or removing the support.

The support also includes angularly disposed opposite side walls 2 and 30 which are formed integrally with the upper wall 26 thereof, and the inside face of the upper wall 26 and the side walls 29 and 3d are coated with a material for reflecting the light rays from the tubes downwardly through the light transmitting panels (not shown) arranged in covering relation with the opening 21 in the rousing. The support 23 is releasably connected on one side with spaced links 31 which are pivotally connected at their upper ends on pivot pins 32 to stiffening members 33 of general U-shaped formation in section and which are welded or otherwise secured to the side walls 14. The links 31 are thus mounted for swinging movement in a plane parallel with the side wall 14 of the housing. The pivots 32 extend through the links 31 in ofiset relation from the central axis thereof or adjacent to the vertical edges 34 for gravitational swinging of the lower portion of the links into latching engagement with channel latching rivets 35 affixed to the rim 36 which projects upwardly from the side wall 35. The latching rivets 35 are adapted to engage in recesses 37 in the links which open through the edges 34 thereof and which extend inwardly and downwardly whereby the channel rivets will be disposed in supporting engagement on the notched inner portions 39 with the projections 40 preventing accidental or unintentional displacement of the latching rivets therewith.

On the opposite side from the links 31, the support 23 is pivotally connected to links 43 which are pivoted for swinging movement transversely of the housing or in planes parallel with the end walls 20. The links 43 are pivoted to the lower ends of stiffening webs 44 on pivot pins 45, the stiffening webs 44 being welded or otherwise secured to the upper wall 26 thereof and extending transversely of the said upper wall and downwardly over the side wall 29. Each of the links 43 consists of two longitudinally extending straps 46 which are secured together in spaced relation by means of longitudinally spaced rivets, the lowermost rivet forming the pivot pin pivotally connecting the link with the stiffening web 44 which extends between the straps 46. The uppermost rivets 43 form latches which are adapted for latching engagement in recesses 3 in angle brackets 59 secured in depending relation from the top wall 19 of the housing. The recesses 49 extend inwardly from the inner edges 51 of the brackets and then downwardly with the lower ends of the recesses terminating in downwardly directed portions 52 located below the projecsuspended within the housing by. means of the links 31 and 43 adjacent the opposite ends thereof, the links 31 on one side of the support having latching engagement therewith and being pivotally connected with thehousing for swinging movement in a plane extending longitudinally of the support, while on the other side thereof the links 43 have latching engagement with the housing and are pivotally connected with the support for swinging movement in planes transversely thereof. This construction permits of the convenient latching of the links 43 with the brackets 50 with the support in a depending relation when emplacing the same in position within the housing. The support 23 may then be swung to horizontal relation within the housing and the lower angularly disposed edges 55 of the links 31 will be cammed to one side by engagement of the channel latching rivets 35 therewith which will then engage in the recesses 37 when the support is moved to horizontal relation within the housing in which position the links 31 automatically swing to engage the latching rivets in the recesses 37. When the support 23 is to be released from operative engagement Within the housing the links 31 are swung to one side out of engagement with the latching rivets 35 so as to permit of the swinging of the support to a depending relation suspended by the links 43 which may then be conveniently released from the 11 brackets 59.

What is claimed is:

1. In a lighting fixture, a housing having an open bottom, a support having fluorescent tube sockets depending from the under side thereof for receiving fluorescent tubes, and means releasably suspending said tube support within the housing consisting of links arranged at the opposite longitudinal sides thereof, the links on one side being pivotally connected to the housing for swinging movement parallel with the length of the housing and having means at the lower ends thereof adapted to engage cooperating means on said support for releasably connecting the support with the links, and the links on the opposite side of the support being pivotally connected thereto at their lower ends for swinging movement transversely of the support and being pivotally connected at their upper ends to the housing to permit swinging movement of the support to depending relation when the support is released from the links on said one side thereof.

2. In a lighting fixture, a housing having an open bottom, a support having fluorescent tube sockets depending from the under side thereof for receiving fluorescent tubes, and means releasably suspending said tube support within the housing consisting of links arranged at the opposite longitudinal sides thereof, the links on one side being pivotally connectedto the housing for swinging movement parallel with the length of the housing and having angularly disposed lower ends forming cam edges and recesses opening through the edges thereof adjacent the upper ends of said cam edges, said support having projections adapted to engage said cam edges of the links for swinging the links to one side when the support is. moved upwardly within the housing and to engage in said recesses for releasably connecting the support with the links, the links on the opposite side of V the support being pivotally connected thereto at their lower ends for swinging movement transversely of the support and being pivotally connected at their upper ends to the housing to permit swinging movement of the support to depending relation when the support is released from the links on said one side thereof.

3. In a lighting fixture, a housing having an open bottom, a support having fluorescent tube sockets depending from the under side thereof for receiving fluorescent tubes, and means releasably suspending said tube support within the housing consisting of links arranged at the opposite longitudinal sides thereof, the links on one side being pivotally connected to the housing for swinging movement parallel with the length of the housing and having angularly disposed lower ends forming cam edges and recesses opening through the edges thereof adjacent the upper ends of said cam edges, said support having projections adapted to engage said cam edges of the links for swinging the links to one side when the support is moved upwardly Within the housing and to engage in said recesses for releasably connecting the support with the links, the links of the opposite side of the support being pivotally connected thereto at their lower ends for swinging movement transversely of the support and being provided with latches at their upper ends, and brackets secured to and depending from the top wall of the housing and having recesses in their inner edges for receiving the latches of said links to permit of pivotal swinging movement of the support to depending relation when the support is released from the links on said one side thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,903,087 Benjamin et a1. Mar. 28, 1933 2,227,655 Levy Jan. 7, 1941 2,463,057 Runge Mar. 1, 1949 2,559,640 Kruger July 10, 1951 2,586,908 Berry Feb. 26, 1952 

